Maribor, my hometown

and Slovenia's second biggest town

Images of Maribor

Maribor (pronounced as Mah-ree-bore) is the second biggest town in Slovenia and also the town where I was born. Although I don't exactly live in town now, but few kilometers away, Maribor is still my place of birth and the town, where I went to primary and secondary school, as well as lived over half of my life. And everywhere I go, Maribor is the only place where I really feel like home. I know every corner, every street and all the beautiful and the ugly parts. But of course like any guide and proud citizen, I will only show you the beautiful sides of my hometown. I'm sure you would do that, too.

✰ Introduction of Maribor

Maribor (a town municipality) has around 120.000 inhabitants and is the economic and cultural capital of northeastern Slovenia, with the second biggest university in the country. The town is divided in two parts by the river Drava, the old historic part on the left side, the newer and bigger part on the right side. The town grew next to Slovenske Gorice (literally "Slovenian Hills"), a hilly region famous for wine yards, which surround the northern part of Maribor, which makes the town one of the centers of the Slovenian wine industry. The southern part of the town lays under Pohorje, a famous 70km long mountain range in northeastern Slovenia, that makes Maribor one of the centers of the winter tourism in Slovenia. Every year, there's a women's ski competition in Maribor called Zlata Lisica (literally "Golden Fox"), which attracts a lot of ski fans from all over the world. But Maribor is also in the spotlight in summer. Every June there is a big international summer festival named Festival Lent, which attracts people from all over the world. There are theaters, concerts, performances, parties and a lot of food all along the river bank of Drava at the oldest part of Maribor, that's called Lent. In the same area is also one of the most famous tourist attractions in Maribor and one of natural wonders of the world: Stara Trta or the Old Vine, which is with over 400 years the oldest vine in the world (it made it even in the Guinness Book of Records). If you ask me personally, the most interesting thing about Maribor is its rich history, a well preserved medieval center and of course the friendly people.

There used to be a big castle above the town, that gave Maribor it's name.

✰ The history of Maribor

The Slavs (Slovenian ancestors) settled in this part of Europe in the 6th century and lived in the rural parts all around in the area, that now lays in the vicinity of Maribor. Franks (an old West German tribe) came here in the 8th century with their royals and started to settle and rule over the Old Slovenians. Maribor was first mentioned in the 12th century as in old German Marchburch (1164). The name was related to the castle one one of the hills above the town and is put together with march (old German for "border region") and burch (old German for "castle"). The castle was neglected in the 18th century and gradually disappeared. The name, which officially remained German until the 20th century, later changed to Marburg an der Drau (Drau is German for river Drava). The Slovenian name Maribor was invented in the 19th century by a Slovenian poet.

Read my whole history of Maribor here>>

Maribor's old center from a bird's eye view:

[Show bigger map]

✰ Our Maribor tour

After my girlfriend and I finished touring western Slovenia, we returned back to my home, which is very close to Maribor. We took a day off, stayed home and rested. A day later we decided to have a sightseeing tour around Maribor. Let me show you what we saw that day:

We went to Europark, Maribor's biggest shopping mall, located on the right side of the river Drava. The old medieval part is on the left side, but not so far from here. You just cross a bridge and in 5 min you're already in Maribor's center. I always leave my car in Europark, because it's for free and there's always enough parking space.

Walking along Drava, we saw Kolosej (pronounced "Co-lo-say") on the other side. This modernist black box is Maribor's first multiplex (cinemas), completed in 2004. It was very popular in the beginning, but it's pretty much empty these days, because there's another more popular multiplex on the other side of Maribor.

The railway bridge or železniški most (pronounced "she-lez-neesh-key most"). It was completed in 1866 and replaced a wooden bridge, that was already built in 1846. It was bombed in 1945 and rebuilt again after the war.

The eastern Lent, the oldest part of Maribor. Most of these buildings destroyed during World War II and the area was neglected until the 1980s, where the town started to rebuild and revitalize the whole area.

The Water tower or Vodni stolp is one of the most famous historic buildings in Maribor. Constructed in 1555, it was meant to secure the southeast part of the medieval Maribor. It was connected to the wall that surrounded the town (source).

The Old bridge or Stari most was completed in 1912 and was one of the most beautiful bridges in former Austrian monarchy. Prior to the steel construction, there used to be a wooden bridge, that connected the central part with the other side, called Tabor. The bridge was partly destroyed during WWII, rebuilt after the war and renovated in 1990 and 1998. The bridge is 166m long.

Revolution square or Trg revolucije.

This is Lent, the oldest part of Maribor. The name comes from the old German word "lander", which meant "a harbor for the traditional rafts", that were very common in the area in the middle ages.

Lent is the most picturesque part of Maribor.

Church of St. Aloysius or Cerkev Svetega Alojzija has no bell tower, which makes it pretty special. It's like an "incognito church" and one of Maribor's famous buildings (18th century).

The river Drava as seen from the Old Bridge. There are many hydroelectric power plants on Drava, which transformed the once rushing river into a very slowly flowing waterway.

The Judgement tower or Sodni stolp was a former fortified tower at the end of the protective wall around Maribor, that guarded the southwestern part of town. The original one from the 13th century was enhanced in 1540. The current form is from 1830. There was a prison inside the tower as well as a court, where even women, who were seen as witches, were persecuted in the so called witchcraft trials. The last such trial in Maribor was in 1711.

The Main Square or Glavni trg is the oldest and biggest square in Maribor. On the left is the famous Plague Monument or Kužno znamenje, in the center is Maribor's Town hall (Mestna hiša) or commonly Rotovž.

Part of the Main square looking to the west.

In the next part I will show you the famous old vine and much much more. Stay tuned.

Bohinj :Before [Slovenia Tour 2010] Next: Maribor Old Vine>>

[Info Sources: Maribor.si, Wiki, Maribor Uni][My SLOVENIA page][My MARIBOR page]

[My post about LENT][All photos by MKL, 2010, except the historic drawings]

Gold Bracelet Designs 2010

Gold Bracelet Designs 2010

The unique beauty of the jewellery reflects the cultural traditions and diversity of the people. Centuries of tradition are artistically and lovingly moulded in each hand-crafted piece of gold, silver and other metallic and non-metallic materials. The 22-karat gold jewellery is mixed with silver, copper or other metals. Intricately woven designs are either traditional or modern. The eastern designs are generally ornate and studded with precious and semi-precious stones. Elegant and delicately simple designs that cater to the international taste and preference are also widely available. Jewellery is ever popular locally and among foreigners with a taste for the exotic. Usually crafted in silver, the chunky designs invariably carry traces of Greco-Roman and Buddhist influences.

Some Beautifull Design of Diamond and White gold Too.

Anarkali Churidar Suits

Anarkali Churidar Suit Design

Anarkali suits usually come in flowing materials like chiffons. Formal Occasions The Anarkali suits worn on formal occasions somewhat differ from those worn in everyday life. In case of formal suits, the shirt (kameez) is heavily embellished. The work done on the shirts includes use of sequins, embroideries, embellishments and wide borders. Sometimes, zardozi work is also done on the Anarkali suits. Materials like crepes, georgettes, silks and brocades are used to make such suits.

Anarkali suits, the latest fashion trend to emerge in the market for traditional Indian attire, are today seen making their presence felt everywhere, right from wedding parties to jagrans to everyday wear. Madhubala in the song ‘Pyar kiya to darna kya’ from ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ or Madhuri in the song ‘Aaja Nachle’ from the movie ‘Aaja Nachle’ wore the same Anarkali dress or Anarkali suit. Anarkali suits are worn with churidars and the footwear usually comprises of Punjabi juttis. As far as the kameez is concerned, it is figure-hugging till the upper torso and below that, it turns into a frock and gets a lot of flare.

Designer Churidar – White & Black in color, Fabric is Cotton. Designer Churidar in self chicken work embroidery and net sleeves along with patchwork on neckline with printed bottom and dupatta. Cotton Designer Churidar being tagged as the most comfortable attire with elegancy. This Designer Churidar available readymade Kameez & Salwar. This Designer Churidar is surely going to steal the heart of onlookers.

Anarkali Churidaar - Black Crush Silk Anarkali Churidaar with contrasting embellished patchwork on neckline and daman with matching bottom and dupatta with laces on edges. This Anarkali Churidaar available readymade Kameez & Salwar. The color of this Anarkali Churidaar are attractive and charming. Fabric, color and work – everything is amazing in this Anarkali Churidaar.

Singapore: My second Asian destination

How I ended up living in Singapore in 2005

If my first trip to Singapore in January 2005 was merely a vacation between two semesters, my second trip in October 2005 was supposed to be much more than that. In Slovenia the last year of your studies is reserved for writing your thesis and many people don't do just that. The year is long and there's plenty of time for other things such as work, travel or volunteer. And since I was so impressed with Singapore and I had someone there, I decided to find a job or internship for at least 6 months, which I hoped would be a great experience for me and beneficial for my further career. And an opportunity presented itself: I met someone, who said he will provide me a job.

First meeting with the agent

I was introduced to a Malay man, who supposedly helps foreign students getting a job or internship in Singapore for a fee. I guess we were naive and trusted that man blindly, because he was full of promises and showed a lot of effort only during the first meeting, where he expected to claim his fee. He made a good impression on me, we met in a big shopping mall, it was probably Suntec city, where we sat down and talked. He was visibly a practicing Muslim, which was comforting for me at that time, because I feel, if someone is so religious, he will not only abide be the rules of his faith, but also try his best to help this young student from Slovenia. It was so hot that day, but I saw he was very thirsty. However, he told me, that he's not allowed to drink before dusk, because it was Ramadan. Our conversation was short and he tried his best to hint, that he came to collect his fee. Since I had no ideas about how these things work in Singapore (all I knew is that money's number 1 concern), I paid the fee for an exchange of promises, who would later turn out to be empty.

The HDB block in Tampines, where I used to live.

The weird apartment owner

I lived in the same apartment I used to stay during my three weeks in January. I only rented a room like last time (signed a contract, paid my fees). The owner, a young Chinese guy, was living there with me, in the rest of the apartment, which was pretty small. I had the keys to the main door and my room, where he didn't have access. But I had to pass through his living room to come to my room. I have to say, he was a weird guy. Sometimes I greeted him and he just stared at me. He never spoke to me directly. If he had something to discuss, he would call the agent and the agent would contact me. Of course I did not cause any problems, I paid my rent always on time and lived my life quietly. Probably the weirdest thing that ever happened to me was when we accidentally had to leave the apartment at the same time. I didn't know that he's already at the main door, trying to unlock it, when I was locking the door of my room. I say hi, but he doesn't even reply. And guess what? He locked the door back in front of pretending I'm not there! Can you imagine that? We stood like 1m apart from each other and he did that. That was the ultimate weirdo moment.

I used to walk here a lot, it was a small walkway from Tampines to Simei.

Bridge over the highway in Tampines.

They paved the way from the Tampines Mall to my home. I walked here daily.

I started to become bitter

As the day passed by, I became more and more bitter. I was only allowed to stay 30 days in Singapore (with the possibility of extension for another 60), so I hoped I will get a job very soon. That agent said my job is guaranteed, before I came. I was so naive, I know. Interestingly, when he claimed the fee (was around 350SGD, around 150 Eur at that time), his efforts massively decreased. I called him many times, but he didn't answer. A week passed and sometimes he would just send me an SMS with an excuse. After two weeks passed and I became massively nervous and angry, we decided to stop being polite and threaten him by going to the police. That seemed to scare him and in a day he said I have an interview. Guess where? In the Goethe Institute, a German cultural institution, that promotes cultural exchange and the learning of the German language abroad. I wasn't really happy about it, because I had no idea what awaits me. But I gave it a try.

The odd interview experience

I was told to have my interview at 4 pm, where he would introduce me to the interviewer. The institute was located somewhere near Orchard road. I came there all elegantly dressed and 15min before the supposed interview. Guess what? He was 30min late! He came all sweaty and confused, talked like an old granny, but didn't tell anything, that would make me feel reassured. And then the biggest joke: The institute didn't look for an intern at all, they didn't even know why he came and what he wants. Probably my second weirdest moment ever. He talked and talked about me and how I'm good and German and what not, but I saw the lady wasn't interested. She was just polite and let him speak. She soon told us, that they're have no vacancies at the moment. We briefly spoke in German and I told her that the man next to me promised me a job and brought me here saying you have a job to offer. She felt bad for me, but couldn't help me at all. I left saddened and angry. He promised to bring me to more interviews, but I totally lost confidence in him. And actually, I never saw him again after this blunder. He disappeared.

Another blunder at the Singaporean police station

So we decided to go to the police, because I was so angry, that he cheated me. That was another adventure, I tell you. The police station was located at Orchard road. The person I was with, she was a Singaporean, did all the talking, explained the whole story and the woman was typing everything in the computer. Although everything seemed so simple to us, she typed so slowly and asked 100 questions. We had his name and we had a business card with the address of an office, that didn't exist. He just used someone else's address and posed as his own. About 1h and a half passed, I was nearly melting in my chair. Policemen came and go, the woman that worked on our case, was also busy with other stuff. And then, when we were nearly finished... guess what happened? She accidentally deleted the whole fine -_- FML! I saw that, because she was fumbling around and her reaction was very telling, but she pretended everything's fine. But we had to retell the whole story again and she started to type the whole thing from scratch. We sat there nearly 3h, but the biggest joke was: Nothing happened! Nothing! Not that day, not a week later, when we checked the progress. I guess they just put my case in a drawer and continued sitting around doing nothing. Singapore has a very low crime rate and I've never seen policemen so laid back like in Singapore.

I gave up! That was it for me

And after all that I said to myself: That's it! I don't care anymore! The first month was so stressful for me, I was totally not enjoying my stay in Singapore, because I have expected something completely different. But I'm the type who is at first greatly disappointed, but after my emotions settle, I try to find something positive in every situation. So I said to myself, I will

try to make the best of it. Screw the agent, screw the police, I will do things my way. I extended my stay at the immigration for another 30 days (and later for another 30) and lived my life normally. My savings were nearly gone, but I had her, who helped me a lot and I'm grateful to her until this very day. You have to know, money goes out of your wallet very fast in Singapore and at that time I was just a poor student, who used his savings for this trip. The air ticket was expensive, then came the fee for the cheating agent, then a fee for the real estate agent and a rent in advance plus the normal rent... and add to that transportation, food and other small expenses and money is gone pretty quickly.

The first two weeks after the agent blunder I took a rest from everything and went to shopping malls, explored Singapore, lived a daily (boring) life.

This is the shopping mall in Simei, where I used to frequent.

Simei mall in November 2005.

All shopping malls in Singapore have a similar look and concept.

My Hari raya experience

Then came Hari raya (the Malay celebration day at the end of the Muslim fasting month Ramadan) and I was invited to join in the festivities, which were basically family gatherings and visits with a lot of food and chatter. I mostly had fun, although I was the only white non-Muslim person at the table. The food was really yummy and abundant, Malays are famous for being very hospitable. I probably had eaten more during that time than any other time in Singapore. But there were some moments, where I felt uncomfortable. A group of Malay men (all in baju) asked me to join them at the table and they questioned me about various things, where I come from, how's life in my country. That was all fun, until one of them started to make fun of my (for them) big nose. I don't like taunts that target someone's ethnic particularity such as the supposed "long nose" of White people or the supposed "small eyes" of East Asians. From what they said, I had the feeling that they were full of stereotypical thinking about Whites in general. I just smiled, nodded, but felt very uncomfortable in that moment. But all in all, it was a fun time. It was one of those times, where I really got to know the Malay culture in Singapore from the inside. It gave me a lot of food for thought in 2006, when I was long departed from the city state.

Malays bake many cookies before hari raya, they're meant for visitors.

I spent a lot of time in Suntec city in the big shopping mall.

Inside Suntec city mall.

The Heeren, a mall in Orchard road I really liked.


What Singapore meant for me

In 2005 I got the chance to catch a glimpse of how another nation lives. Prior to 2005, I've only been to some European countries and briefly in Tunisia. But I have never stayed 3 months outside Slovenia before and I've never been so far from home. That itself was one of the best experiences I ever had. I grew up. I changed. Suddenly I was that guy who travels far, who goes alone (although I had someone there), who puts on his backpack and leaves. I realized that traveling is what makes me happy, that exploring cultures, that are so far and so different, is something I want to do all my life. I was infected with the travel virus. And although I initially thought, that I will settle in Singapore, I realized a year later, that this is not where I'll find my luck. Fate led me to Malaysia in 2007 and 2008, but that's a long story for another post.

How I saw Singapore and Singaporeans

I have no idea, how Singaporeans saw me. Some saw me as that white guy, who lives in the same HDB block and wondered, why is that so, since most Singaporeans thing "all White people are rich" and should therefore live in condos. Maybe that stereotype cost me few more cents, because sometimes my food was charged more than it cost for the locals, probably because of the color of my skin. That upset me at that time, but now I can only smile. It also upset me, when a kid and her mum laughed at my nose (yep, they pointed at it). I'm fine, if kids do that, but grown ups? Come on... Yeah, there were definitely many things that made an impression on me during my time in Singapore, good and bad.

Singapore is very crowded, you always have the feeling that you're living in a big city, rather than in a small country, even if Singapore is both. I've met totally friendly awesome Singaporeans, but I've also encountered weird people, like a Chinese uncle on the street, who started to yell at me for no reason. I'm happy I didn't understand him. We all base our opinion on the things we see and encounter. For me, Singapore is a fine place (no pun intended), but there is a lot of room for improvement. A lot. And I'll leave that to Singaporeans, I'm sure there's a lot of people, who will bring about change to the way things are done there. There are two types of Singaporeans: The well-traveled cosmopolitan ones, who usually worked and studied abroad and the ones, that seldom leave the state, live in their HDB reality most of their life and don't see outside the bubble.

What I liked and disliked about Singapore

What I love about Singapore is the efficiency, the convenience for everything, be it food, shopping, transportation, everything works fine (again no pun intended). But sometimes I felt Singaporeans lack a human touch or a human approach. Give Singaporeans a plan and they'll do a perfect job. Tell them to be spontaneous and they will suddenly be lost. Well, that's not the case for every Singaporean of course, but there's some truth in it. The economic and social situation is not as good as the government wants to portray it, I've seen too many Singaporeans work like crazy for meager wages. And the race relations are not as good as Singapore advertises them (some Malays feel they can't make the same career as the Chinese), although I have to say in Malaysia they're worse (if that's anything to be proud of is another question).

I have to say that was 2005. A lot has changed in the recent 5 years, so I'm not sure how up to date my assessment is, but I'm sure those who know Singapore, will find some truth in it.

Chinese styled post-modern hotels at Orchard road, Singapore's main shopping area.

I didn't do much sightseeing during my 2nd stay in Singapore.

I went to the Merlion park, because I forgot to see it the first time.

The Swissôtel The Stamford, the tallest hotel in Singapore. I went up there.

It was tons of fun to see Singapore from above, fond memories.

I also went to Sentosa few times. This was in December 2005.

A small island near Siloso beach, Sentosa.

A day before leaving. All my things nearly packed.

I had my struggles when I returned

I have to say it wasn't easy to leave. After 3 months you just start to adapt to life, you start to mingle, you start to see yourself as part of the locals, not a visitor. But then you have to leave and start over again. I came home before new year 2006 and it was really hard. Not only did we have snow and almost 40 degrees less than Singapore, it was also a big change of life, I had to get used to the Slovenian food and people. From a big hot city into a cold snowy countryside in Slovenia is a huge changed. I struggled. I was disappointed in a way, but still happy that I could have this experience. 2005 transformed me into a traveler, Singapore made me interested in Asia and that's why it will always have a special place in my heart. I returned to Singapore in December 2008, but only for 2 days and everything felt different. At that time I came as a visitor from Malaysia, my heart and mind were there, Singapore was just a destination for a short trip and nothing more.

That was the last time I visited her.

[My SINGAPORE page][All pics by MKL 2005]